Gearchange woes......

[DCB40]

I'm calling for help from rt owners on how to change gear........., yes i know what your thinking but i just can't get this bike to down change smoothly especially 3rd to 2nd to 1st. Slowing down for roundabouts easing off the throttle and change down from 3rd to 2nd on a closed throttle i can't get anything like a decent change, and 2nd to 1st is a joke
I've been riding bikes for 30 years on and off and i need help. admittedly this is my first twin and first BMW bike, so i bow down to the vast wealth of experiance on here and beg you, how do you do this, what is the secret. I need to crack this before the wife jumps on the back
I really like the bike but this is really spoiling things..........HELP ME PLEASE

 

[Engineer]

Blip throttle on down changes????.

 

[stever1]

Sustained gear changes are the way to do it. Get the speed right for the lower gear then DO NOT release the throttle, keep it still then change down as normal IE using the clutch. So long as you keep the throttle still on the way down it'll work.
Incidentally, what age and mileage is the bike, is it mechanically sound ?.

 

[DCB40]

The bike is a 09 model with 18K on it full bmw service. Ive not tried blipping the throttle so that is a option to try.
I have tried being smooth with the throttle, and maybe need to try and match speed and revs exactly on this bike. never had a problem with jap bikes but as this is a twin things are obviously different.

 

[Wrigsby1]

Learn how to blip the throttle and it will help you on any bike... BM's are sometimes clunky but the 12RT's seem smooth by comparison to some of the earlier bikes... One thing that many boxers don't like is changing down to 1st too early... RT's are higher geared but 1st is usually for very slow speeds on the way down...

"Sustained throttle "seems to be all the rage these days for the "advanced rider" but blipping the throttle has been fine for me for 25 years so I will stick with it...

 

[adventuredon]

Blipping is not always the best. Make sure you really blip it. On my gs (same motor), some blips work wonders, others almost stall me. If you catch it wrong it can cut the engine causing a stall. Try it in neutral, blip quickly a few times continuosly on the throttle and it will stall, if you catch it right the bike cuts out. Something to do with the restricted air intake/flappy valve. ? Took mine to dealer and they said "they all do that sir..."I still blip when making progress but make sure you really blip. Have stalled before at traffic lights doing it. not nice. I tend to agee with the open throttle theory though

 

[Wrigsby1]

Blipping is not always the best. Make sure you really blip it. On my gs (same motor), some blips work wonders, others almost stall me. If you catch it wrong it can cut the engine causing a stall. Try it in neutral, blip quickly a few times continuosly on the throttle and it will stall, if you catch it right the bike cuts out. Something to do with the restricted air intake/flappy valve. ? Took mine to dealer and they said "they all do that sir..."I still blip when making progress but make sure you really blip. Have stalled before at traffic lights doing it. not nice. I tend to agee with the open throttle theory though

Blipping throttle to aid smooth downchanges not at standstill which does nothing of any use... Also works well when braking hard on a closed throttle...

 

[filbe]

 

[flatdog]

Is that your experience of gear changing on your bike.
Try blipping the throttle, it may help.

 

[adventuredon]

Blipping throttle to aid smooth downchanges not at standstill which does nothing of any use... Also works well when braking hard on a closed throttle...

Should have said as approaching lights, rolling and ready to leave just as it changes to green, or for that matter at a yield or junction going. Down a gear, similar to hard brake and change. If blipped too quick you can stall

 

[oddshapedballs]

I'm calling for help from rt owners on how to change gear........., yes i know what your thinking but i just can't get this bike to down change smoothly especially 3rd to 2nd to 1st. Slowing down for roundabouts easing off the throttle and change down from 3rd to 2nd on a closed throttle i can't get anything like a decent change, and 2nd to 1st is a joke
I've been riding bikes for 30 years on and off and i need help. admittedly this is my first twin and first BMW bike, so i bow down to the vast wealth of experiance on here and beg you, how do you do this, what is the secret. I need to crack this before the wife jumps on the back
I really like the bike but this is really spoiling things..........HELP ME PLEASE

I'm on my third GS (one SC and two TC's) and after an approximate 190,000 miles I can say that all of my lower gear changes have always sounded like you're dropping a spanner into a metal bucket, just as above, I blip the throttle when I change down now and that smooths things in. Nothing to worry about, unless it starts jumping out of gear or not going in at all, it's perfectly normal and something I really do like about the boxer, it feels purposeful.

If you're really worried about the gearbox I'd drop the gearbox oil out, and put it through a very fine sieve, it'll tell you if there's a problem.

 

[Deleted account 260111001]

LC has a nice gear change assist, works very smoothly on closed throttle downshift

 

[Giles]

"Sustained throttle "seems to be all the rage these days for the "advanced rider" but blipping the throttle has been fine for me for 25 years so I will stick with it...

I mix it all up and do a variety of things depending on the scenario. My experience is that sometimes twins respond well to a sustained throttle, but broad brush strokes and all that, they tend to prefer a blip. Fours love a sustained throttle - I get great joy (this is a bit sad ..) coming into a roundabout on a litre sports bike, holding the gas still and 5 .. 4 ... 3 ... and then shutting the gas, floating in on a closed throttle, and then accelerating out ..
When you get that perfect, it's completely smooth and seamless and makes you feel all warm and gooey inside ....

 

[Flipfly]

No clutch, sharp downwards kick with the boot from high revs and back that RT in to the roundabout

(Might want to book your gearbox in to Scrimmengers now though )

Are you guys really discussing how to change gears

My my guess is your revs are too high and you actually need to ride the torque rather than rev it like a 4 cylinder.

 

[BMPete]

First start of the day, cold engine and oil at idle N to 1 click. Normal operating temp N to 1 Clunk. Normal operating temp whilst moving slowly 10 mph of less coming to a stop, 2 to N pause N to 1 click. Question why does it clunk when stationary but snick into 1 really quietly when moving slowly ?

 

[Flipfly]

First start of the day, cold engine and oil at idle N to 1 click. Normal operating temp N to 1 Clunk. Normal operating temp whilst moving slowly 10 mph of less coming to a stop, 2 to N pause N to 1 click. Question why does it clunk when stationary but snick into 1 really quietly when moving slowly ?

If you are expecting snickety click gearboxes then. I suggest you trade it in for something less German. It's just the way they are.
It will all depend on the speed of all the whirry bits and bobs. Consider yourself a god like creature for getting a click rather than a clunk and smile to yourself, it's a rare thing. The clunk will bring you back to earth and make you realise that you may be a talented mortal, but you are mortal and only god knows how to do smooth shifts on a BM

 

[Jacal]

No clutch, sharp downwards kick with the boot from high revs and back that RT in to the roundabout

(Might want to book your gearbox in to Scrimmengers now though )

Are you guys really discussing how to change gears

My my guess is your revs are too high and you actually need to ride the torque rather than rev it like a 4 cylinder.

Oh mi sides are hurting

 

[filbe]

Is that your experience of gear changing on your bike.
Try blipping the throttle, it may help.

It's my response to this thread......words fail me

 

[Richie N]

OP has gone AWOL. Perhaps he is out practicing

It is hard to get smooth gear changes on my GSA (new to me 1k miles ago) but I've put it down to experience - I need more!

Just get out and ride it.

 

[JMgser]

As a new RT LC owner I have found this thread interesting. Coming from various in line 4's and smooth 'nonda v4's, I had an Aprillia Caponord before the Beemer. Massive culture shock although the big v twin motor was easy enough through the gears, and changing down 3-2-1 coming down mountains/hairpins in Pecos, using blip downshifting, and accelerating back up was easy enough.but try and dribble round a roundabout in 2nd and you ran the risk of it simply cutting out. Try to do it in 1st and it was as jumpy as a frog. But you got used to it by adjusting how you used the gears/revs and clutch.

After this I find the RT is easy enough downshifting, using the blip, but I don't use much 1st gear once up and running as 2nd is quite low.

Every bike has it's different characteristics and to me the answer to DCB40's issue is likely to be getting the combination of revs and blipping just about right at the time of downshifting. Similarly need to find the right rev level to change up. Practice and learn how the bike works best. The gear box is an acquired taste 1,2 and 3, but it's ok once u get used to it.

DCB40, you ever have a Suzuki? I recall your handle from a few years ago on another forum.